Fighters from Islamist group Ansar Dine. Two main groups now appear to be competing to govern northern Mali: Ansar Dine, which wants to see sharia law brought to Mali, and the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad, who have already declared an independent state

Malian refugees at the M'bere refugee camp, near Bassiknou in southern Mauritania, 37 miles from the border with Mali. Conflict between Tuareg rebels and Mali authorities has been ongoing since January sparking a growing humanitarian crisis

A Malian refugee holds her baby in the M'bere refugee camp near Bassiknou. More than 320,000 people have fled their homes in Mali since mid-January, with more than half seeking refuge in neighbouring countries

A sick child lays on a cart as she waits to be treated. Médecins Sans Frontières is bolstering its activities and emergency medical aid in the desert area, where access to medical care is extremely limited

A woman tends to a malnurished child at the Medecins sans Frontires medical centre. Refugees are primarily Tuareg families from the Timbuktu region. They arrive here exhausted after a two-day journey by truck

A Malian refugee shouts for water at a distribution point in the M'bere refugee camp. A great number of people are suffering from respiratory infections and diarrhea owing to a lack of access to water, exposure to extreme temperatures, and frequent sand storms, according to MSF's medical co-ordinator Jean-Paul Jemmy